On this date, March 2, in 1881, 139 years ago, my great uncle Rev. Joseph Stephen Reiner, SJ was born in Chicago, IL. He had a passion for social action, in which he was engaged in the first third of the last century, so about 100 years ago. While Joseph Reiner lived a relatively short life, passing away in October 1934 at age 53, he was highly involved in social justice activities. However, his was a non-violent approach based on a strong belief on the social significance of the reign of Christ. The Eucharist provided not only the foundation, but the sustenance for this undertaking. Following from the Eucharist, I see him having established three main approaches to further his life's passion: educating, acting, and establishing. All three are important, but they are also integrated in his development of social justice--identify, become knowledgeable so as to trust your judgement, and then undertake implementation. In other words, discern the situation, then act in an appropriate manner to further advance social teaching and improve the common good. While SJ stands for Society of Jesus in this case it may also be used to stand for social justice. In this post I will focus on the Eucharist and the first of the three approaches--educating. The other two approaches will be discussed in separate posts. First, some context and background.
When Joseph Reiner was ordained in 1913, WWI had not yet started and the progressive movement was nearing its peak. At the end of the war, things had changed. The US was now becoming a super power both politically and economically. The end of the war spurred growth, although there was a recession at the beginning of the decade and a depression started at the end. The 1920's saw significant growth in the US economy growing by 42% nationally. However, as during other spurts of major growth, income growth was uneven. In 1922, the top 1% of the population received 13.4% of total income. By 1929, they earned 14.5%. Yet, 42% of the population was below the poverty line. The gross domestic product would rise from $687 billion to $977 billion from 1920 to 1929. Yet, the nation struggled with prejudice to blacks, Catholics and Jews, as shown by Nativist movements, and the KKK. Immigration laws passed in the 1902's not only limited immigration and set a quota system, but the quota favored those from Northern Europe, i.e. WASP's. Industrial growth before the twenties required immigrant labor, but native growth during the twenties was apparently now more capable of meeting supply in the strongly industrializing nation. But, industrial growth in the early part of the century usually meant poor work conditions, long working hours, and quickly installed housing in urban areas. Wages were uneven by industrial sector, leading to labor issues. In agriculture farmers struggled with high costs and low prices for goods. (For a look at agriculture at this time see this link.) Discrimination--racial, ethnic and religious--could be obvious, recurrent or subtle. Eugenics was also at its peak in the early 1920's. These were some of the main social justice issues of that time. Social justice today is, for some (not all), more about political correctness than appropriateness, self-aggrandizement over self-effacement or humility, and a measure of being perpetually offended. They look to criticize and divide rather than to engage and dialogue. It was a different climate and set of circumstances 100 years ago.
Before delving into the life of Joseph Reiner, let me provide some information on his pedigree. His parents, Stephen Eireiner and Franziska Leidenheimer Eireiner were both born in Germany.* Stephen, his father, was born in Ehingen Germany, and his mother Franziska was born in Diedeshem. His father immigrated to the United States in 1871 by himself and arrived in the United States a few weeks before his 23rd birthday. I lack a record of Franziska's arrival, but she noted, in a 1925 US Passport application, that she arrived in the United States in 1872. Stephen and Franziska married in 1877 in Chicago. Their union produced seven children; two of Joseph's sisters would become nuns. Stephen passed away in 1893, so he and his wife were married less than twenty years. My grandmother, Amanda, was in her terrific (as it is lent I am being more positive than to say terrible) twos when her father died. Franziska would, after Stephen's death have to bear the family burden by herself. Joseph's older sibling, Sr. Mary Basil, passed away less than three months after him. On October 15, 1934 upon hearing of his death she said: "Now I will have no one to say Mass for me."
At the time Stephen Eireiner arrived in the United States he was a shoemaker, an occupation he still held in 1875. However, by 1880 he, with a partner, operated a grocery store at 3017 Archer Avenue in Chicago. In 1885 he was still a grocer, by himself, but located at 1025 31st Street. Interestingly, in 1889 his grocery is now a saloon (information from Chicago Directories). I can imagine Joseph being put to work stocking shelves, and sweeping floors of the grocery store. Stephen, Franziska and their children were not born into wealth or privilege. They worked hard to provide opportunities to their children. Joseph, a first generation American, grew up in a city known for immigrant labor, and its strong ethnic neighborhoods. Essentially the family was not unlike the other millions who arrived on US shores to begin life anew. It was a family of strong faith, but whose faith was tested, and perhaps made stronger, when Stephen died at the young age of 44. That faith would instill critical lifetime values for Joseph, such as self-effacement, dedication, hard work, and prayer. Joseph, was said to have a temperament that bordered on the Puritanical, and he was extremely abstemious", and did not engage in "diversions which characterize a man as human and typically American" (Hartnett, SJ) However, Hartnett also said "what impressed me most was the way in which grace had overcome certain limitations of nature in his make up," such as not being gregarious, warm, spontaneous, or buoyant. (Hartnett) The most common term I have seen used to describe him is self-effacement. His most commonly cited expression was his smile, about which someone at Xavier wrote a poem. Some of his disposition may have developed from the genes of a good German, and part may be informed by being the oldest male in the family at the age of twelve upon the death of his father. He possessed a faith nurtured mostly by his mother, and life circumstances that would inform his mission of Catholic action and justice.
The United States at the time was a predominantly Protestant nation, and, quite frankly, many persons looked down upon Catholics. Many Catholics who arrived in the United States in the early part of the 20th century were from southern Europe. The acronym WASP, for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, as a descriptor of the predominant and ruling class did not arise for no reason. The anti-Catholic bias went back generations to thoughts of some of the founding fathers, it was seen in the know-nothing movement, the nativists, and other movements in US history. I could argue that the prejudice against Catholics helped form the Catholic educational system which in which Joseph Reiner was involved. In her 2009 PhD Dissertation Rae Bielakowski noted the following:
It was into this anti-Catholic milieu that Joseph Reiner grabbed the opportunity presented to form and advance Catholic social action. God had given him a mission, and grace to overcome his personality traits, and he ran with that mission. Fortman, noted that "The dominant impulse, the ruling passion, of his life was a supernatural zeal for the betterment of his fellowmen through social justice, and the practical, actual realization of the dream of Leo XIII through organization, mass movements, education, and personal efforts." The compilation of Catholic social teaching is generally thought to have begun with Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. That groundbreaking work looked back in time to, not only the bible, but also the great Catholic thinkers such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Augustine. While the social teaching of the church can be complex, and controversial, let me lay out seven basic principles that form the basis of the ever evolving social teaching of the Church. These principles, which are generally self-explanatory, are:
1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person.
2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation.
3. Rights and Responsibilities.
4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.
5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers.
6. Solidarity (Which, generally is to recognize others as our brothers and sisters and work for their good.)
7. Care for God's Creation.
Fr Reiner was trained in the United States and Europe. He first attended, and obtained his BA in 1900 (age 19), from St Francis Seminary in Milwaukee (Hartmann, RC). Attendance at St Francis, may have, according to Fr. Hartnett, introduced in Joseph Reiner an interest in the Catholic social tradition. Milwaukee was settled by many German Catholics who likely brought with them the Catholic social doctrines inherent in that era of Germany. In her 2009 PhD dissertation Rae Bielakowski noted the following about Fr Reiner: "When in Austria studying theology at Innsbruck Reiner had broadened his concept of religion to include political and social organizations." (p 97) Fr Edmund Fortman, in a brief biography of Fr Reiner provides evidence of this when he noted that Fr Reiner had contributed a series of articles, beginning in 1903 titled 'Jones and Smith Discuss Socialism' in Our Sunday Visitor." ** Hence, it is in Austria, where he studied from 1900 to 1902, that his Aha moment occurred, or where God provided Joseph's calling. Bielakowski quotes a 1935 document (p. 97) which has Fr Reiner saying to a student: “When I was in Austria studying theology at Innsbruck, I became deeply impressed with the social significance of the reign of Christ,” She then provides further evidence of his calling when she quotes a document which said “...'somewhere in the long course of his studies in sociology and theology, perhaps in Innsbruck, Austria, he saw in blinding light how much social significance lay in the reign of Christ in the world,' stated the pamphlet, further adding the pious exclamation 'If all were Christ-like!'” (pp 97-98) However, Bielakowski, in what I find a jaded comment, and without any proof, makes the assertion that in the free-wheeling atmosphere of study at Innsbruck, this was probably not unusual, or unexpected. (p 98) Did she understand his heart and passion, not to mention his history?
His studies would instill additional virtues to advance his passion on the Catholic notion of social justice through integration of approach. While in Austria, and only two years short of ordination, he decided to become a Jesuit. He would study and teach for the next 11 years before being ordained in 1913. Robert Hartnett, SJ presented a lecture on Fr Reiner at Loyola University in 1965. In this lecture he noted that Reiner must have established some type of record for ecclesiastical training --taking all of 20 years. Interesting is that 15 of those years were spent at seven different seminaries, so, on average, just over two years at each. My Mom's brother, my Uncle Leo, would often chide my brother John (1952-2014) that he was a professional student. (John would earn a BA, MA. and a JD.) This makes me wonder if Uncle Leo knew how long his Uncle Joseph Reiner was in formation as a Jesuit. Uncle Leo was eight years and two months old when his Uncle Joseph Reiner died in October 1934.
One thing is quite clear from articles on his death, the Eucharist was important to him, and it was the foundation of his vision for the use of integrated methods to advance the cause of social justice. In fact, these facets were likely inseparable given determination and calling. Fortman stated that Fr Reiner "lay sleepless many a night mulling over the problems of social justice." He then went on to say that "His early work and writings in connection with the laymen's retreat movement were born of this." Fortman's commentary is similar to that expressed in The Queens's Work newspaper for the Sodality movement, when after his death the writer commented on his social justice work and then wrote: "Back of all this was his great motivating force: the conviction that 'it is the Mass that matters.' He built his own spiritual life round the Mass...he was a man with a broad vision, and the light that illuminated that vision was the light from the lifted Host." The Eucharist and his belief in Jesus and his message is what drove him in a quest that some contemporaries feel claimed his life. Is there no further proof that he received in Innsbruck this message from Christ to take forth to the masses? If Bielakowski had known, or understood, this motivating factor perhaps she would have been at least more understanding if not charitable in her commentary relative to his involvement in social action. The retreat movement was more than invoking one's spiritual relationship with God, properly done Fr Reiner believed it would form one's conscience in social action.
Showing the importance he placed on one's personal relationship with Christ, Joseph Reiner was instrumental in starting the first lay retreat group in the Midwest. His brother John, a man who would support Joseph, was the captain for the first Midwest lay retreat at Techny, Illinois, the home base of the Divine Word Missionaries. John, at the urging of his brother, recruited seventeen men to join him at that first retreat. John would continue his involvement in the lay retreat movement for at least fifty years, as he led the fiftieth reunion in 1955 at Techny. The closing mass for the 50th reunion was said by Thomas Cardinal Tien, exiled Archbishop of Peking (now Beijing), China, who was then residing at Techny. Showing the connection John had to his brother Joseph, John and his wife Lena donated a statue of Jesus which is located at the Jesuit retreat house in Barrington, IL, in recognition of Joseph pioneering the first lay retreat movement at Techny in July 19-22, 1906.
The retreat movement was just one aspect. Reiner seems to have presaged the advent of Vatican II by creating a system within the liturgy to advance lay participation. His actions for involvement of the laity in the mass, and liturgical reform, may not have been as involved as that of Fr. Virgil Michel, OSB of St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, but nonetheless are important to understand for his belief that for the liturgy and the Eucharist provide strength and that required higher levels of lay participation in the mass. Bielakowski notes that in 1928 Reiner introduced students in the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola to methods to foster lay participation in the liturgy, I quote:
But all was not friendly. Fr. Reiner, preferred students to come to their own conclusion, whether it be in the theology of the Mass or in other parts of their daily life. This can be shown by the following discussion Bielakowski had in her dissertation:
Joseph Reiner encouraged self-formation. Bialakowski says that what Joseph Reiner desired "was to encourage good habits and trust the students themselves to seek knowledge as they desired it" (p. 196) It is that forming of conscience through educating or learning, and then discernment which he believed would allow persons to inform their innate abilities for good by formalizing values and beliefs in their own conscience and on their own accord. I suppose it is a very Jesuit method of education. In fact, his approach is not unlike that of what Pope Francis, a Jesuit, promotes: See, Judge, Act.
Fr. Reiner would see his first notable position at Xavier College (now University) in Cincinnati, OH. Xavier College would be where he could make his first imprint of his views on social justice. Bialakowski makes this observation: "At Xavier University in Cincinnati, where he served as founder and regent of the School of Commerce and Sociology, he reportedly worked “to introduce his ‘new’ Catholic Action into the college sodality” (p. 100). A look at some of the courses, he taught for the 1919-20 school year, of which I was fortunate to find on-line, introduces us to his interest in social justice: (1) The Economic Groundwork of Social Services, (2) The Social Question and Non-Catholic Solutions, (3) The Catholic Solution of the Social Question. Bielakowski said that "administrative assignments in Jesuit higher education allowed Reiner to integrate his views into the curriculum and the religious practices that Catholic college students encountered on campus." (p 99) Jesuit management flexibility assisted his ability to introduce his ideas. Would he have had the same impact as a diocesan priest? Certainly some, as his contemporary Msgr. John Ryan (who was perhaps the preeminent voice of social justice in the US) was a priest of the Diocese of St Paul. In light of Fr. Reiner's experience at Innsbruck, on which Bielakowski was less than charitable, he may have realized the flexibility of teaching and management in the Jesuits and its freewheeling dynamics on which Bielakowski commented would provide the platform and flexibility required to advance God's message of social action on earth.
Reiner would advance his ideas on Catholic social action and move it to other forums. In a September 1920 address to the Sixth Biennial Conference of Catholic Charities at the Catholic University of America (a big thank you to Shane MacDonald of the Catholic University Archives for providing me a copy of Proceedings) Reiner notes on page 47 that "I think it is a cardinal point in the Catholic program of reform as distinguished from that of the liberal school, that sound legislation is an important means of securing the natural rights of our people....I heartily take the view that through securing such legislation the state is safeguarding our rights." He would go on to present discussion with Ohio legislators on varied measures of interest. However compelling this is, he believed it was incumbent on individual Catholics to involve themselves in charity. Father Reiner further noted in that same address (p. 48), "...I hope the day will never come when good Catholic people will grow remiss in performing the works of charity and in imitating the example of the Good Samaritan...." Charitable acts are one of the legs of Catholic social action. Charity is tied, in large part, to the preference for the poor, as we hear from Pope Francis.
Joseph Reiner was branching out in Social Justice and action and demanding rights secured by legislation. He would go on to create a 97 page syllabus on social action for use by Catholic Colleges and Universities. Fr Reiner would teach at Xavier from 1915 to 1921. In 1921 he was transferred to Marquette University in Milwaukee where Fr Hartnett says he taught social sciences and history. I found that he was a professor of education and religion at Marquette. In 1923, his capabilities would be demanded back in Chicago, and Fr Reiner would receive the appointment, in 1923, as the first Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University. In his first five years enrollment in the college, would almost double, and the classes offered would increase from 35 to 57 and then to 95. Yet, he also devised a method to weed out unsatisfactory students. (Hartnett) Such an increase would come with administrative headaches, relating to capacity--sufficient staff, sufficient classrooms, and activities. Such a number would be sufficient to keep a Dean occupied, but he gave more. Bialkowski notes that:
If he was a man comfortable at Xavier, and in his "element," I find myself asking why the move to Marquette University from a program, and community, in which he was so invested? Reiner belonged to a variety of committees and organizations during his time at Xavier, some dominated by Protestants. To these committees he would bring his passion of social justice and Catholic social teaching. Bilakowsdi noted that "Reiner reveled in organization and did not hesitate to support even non-Catholic efforts for social welfare." (p. 99) But, the following statement of Fr. Hartnett, who was a student at Loyola when Reiner was Dean, believes, "that these reformist interventions had more than a little to do with Fr Reiner's removal to the more progressive climate of Wisconsin in 1921, though I never heard this from him. He was too good a soldier to complain." Those with knowledge of Wisconsin history may well appreciate Hartnett's supposition, as Wisconsin was the leader in the progressive movement (which lasted from 1895 to 1925) started by Robert LaFollette, Governor of Wisconsin from 1901-1906. So, perhaps criticism was leveled and the Jesuits realizing what a good warrior they had moved him to a geography more acceptable to his message.
This post has focused on my great uncle, the Rev. Joseph Reiner, SJ (1981-1934) in his finding social justice in the reign of Christ, and his pedagogical method to trust the individual to learn and form their own conscience. His year of death, 1934 is almost a generation closer to the Civil War era than to 2020, in other words it was a different culture. Fr. Reiner correctly recognized that longer term gains arise from a person being taught how to inform themselves. He taught students at school, and laymen through retreat, how to inquire, to gather information, and to act. But he did not leave education as the completion of his message. A future post on Fr. Reiner will feature more information on what I call his Action element. Fr. Reiner was not one to let knowledge sit on the sideline, in his mind it had to be put in action. For action was what could produce results to better the living conditions of his fellow men and women.
*Joseph Reiner Sweeney, my Uncle, says that Joseph S. Reiner convinced his mother to change the name from Eireiner to Reiner. If we can rely on census records, the change occurred between 1910 and 1920.
**My understanding, from Fortman's biography is that this work was also published in pamphlet form by Our Sunday Visitor. I have located the probable pamphlet online at both the Univ. of California and Boston College. This document is authored by S. Shell. So, I am not sure what he contributed since there is no credit to Joseph Reiner provided in the online document. Was S Shell a pseudonym? In 1903 Reiner had not yet been ordained. You may find the link to the online pamphlet I located here.
Sources:
Bielakowski, Rae, "You Are in the World: Catholic Campus Life at Loyola University Chicago, Mundelein College, and De Paul University, 1924-1950" (2009). Dissertations. 161. Quoted page numbers are page numbers in the document not pdf image number. (Note, a ctrl f search of Reiner provided 163 hits.)
Xavier College Course Catalogs, located on-line
Menology Of Sr. Mary (born Eireiner) Basil (Dec. 1934) from IHM Mother House Archives
Fortman, Edmund, SJ 1989 "Lineage: A Biographical History of the Chicago Province, Chicago, Loyola University Press pp 49-51. Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney
"Bishop Speaks and Presents new Moderator to CISCANS". Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney, no date or paper provided on clipping (no date on clipping)
"Fr Joseph Reiner: A Great Sodality Leader." "The Queens Work". Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney (no date on clipping)
https://247sports.com/college/ohio-state/Board/121/Contents/ND-wanted-to-join-the-Big-Ten-at-one-point-must-read-36555843/ Accessed 2/25/2020
Harnett, RC, SJ April 14, 1965 lecture at Loyola University Community Conference on "Rev Joseph Reiner, SJ, 1881-1934 Dean of College of Arts and Sciences Loyola University 1923-1931". Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney
"Proceedings of the Sixth Biennial Meeting of National Conference of Catholic Charities" Catholic University of America, Washington DC, Sept 12-16, 1920. "A Program for Social Legislation" by Rev. Joseph Reiner, SJ. Regent, School of Commerce and Sociology St Xavier College, Cincinnati, OH. (Provided by Catholic University of America Archives, on 13 Feb 2020).
Chicago City Directory, for years 1875, 1885, 1889
https://www.thebalance.com/roaring-twenties-4060511 (accessed 9/26/2020)
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| Reiner Family Photo--1901 Source: family archives |
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| Joseph Reiner, WWI Draft Card Source: Ancestry.com |
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| The Loyolan, 1929 Source: Loyola University |
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| News Article on his death Source: family archives |
Dogged by religious prejudice, in the early twentieth century young Catholic universities—such as Loyola and De Paul--had particular reason to co-opt and control undergraduate “campus life” in support of institutional reputation. Widespread skepticism regarding the intellectual value of Catholic higher education led to feelings of ostracism and insecurity in Catholic university communities. Catholic educational institutions had experienced slights which both students and educators interpreted as discriminatory. In the early 1920s, for instance, the University of Chicago prohibited Catholic schools from competing in its national basketball tournament. (p 30)Yet it was not only the University of Chicago that discriminated against Catholic colleges. The now premier Catholic University, Notre Dame, was denied admission to the Big Ten in the mid nineteen-twenties. An article by Ohio State University on 247 Sports discusses the prejudice which prevented their entrance at that time:
It is hard to imagine today just how prevalent and intense anti-Catholic sentiment was in the 1920s, much of it stemming from fundamentalist anti-immigrant emotions. The Ku Klux Klan was flourishing across large swatches of the nation, spreading a vitriolic message denigrating Catholics. To the Klan, the Pope was worse than Kaiser Wilhelm because the Pope already had “foreign emissaries” operating in the United States in the form of parish priests.
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| Xavier College Catalog, 1917 Source: Xavier College |
1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person.
2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation.
3. Rights and Responsibilities.
4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.
5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers.
6. Solidarity (Which, generally is to recognize others as our brothers and sisters and work for their good.)
7. Care for God's Creation.
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| Fr Joseph Reiner, SJ 1926, The Loyolan Source: Loyola University |
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| Statue at Jesuit Retreat House Barrington, IL Source: Family archive, author photo |
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| Plaque at base of above Statue Source: family archive, author photo |
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| Talk in July (year Unknown) Developing Social Sense of our Students |
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| Techny, IL 50th Anniversary of first Midwest Lay Men's Retreat, led by John Reiner brother of Joseph 1955 Source: Family archives |
As early as 1928, he and Mertz took the step of introducing Loyola Arts students to a version of the Missa Recitata, wherein students joined in selected prayers and choral songs—presumably using a draft of Reiner’s own “Mass Prayers and Hymns for Congregational Use,” which Queen’s Work published in 1930. In preface to this pamphlet, Reiner expressed its goals as “… [t]hrough congregational praying and singing to make the Mass, as it should be, a corporate, public act of homage to the Divine Majesty; to “bring out in relief the structure of the Mass… especially of Communion as a sacrificial banquet…”; and to “enable the faithful to join the priest, to follow him, if not with the precise words that he uses, at least with the same general idea and sentiments.” Overall, Reiner hoped “to make attendance at Mass more intelligent, more devotional, more attractive, more fruitful”--aims that reflected Liturgical Movement influences. (p. 196)Reiner seems, by his publication in The Queen's Work, to have recognized the need for a meaningful liturgy in order to draw persons to the mystical body of Christ.
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| Joseph (L) with his brothers August and John Source: Family archives |
But all was not friendly. Fr. Reiner, preferred students to come to their own conclusion, whether it be in the theology of the Mass or in other parts of their daily life. This can be shown by the following discussion Bielakowski had in her dissertation:
However, rather than aggressively re-educate students in liturgical theology, Reiner gently urged students to sing the Mass with the help of his book, which he hoped would ease them gradually into engagement with the full text of the Mass and its underlying theology. “As a further result [of this Mass book],” he explained, “it is hoped that many of those using this method will be led to use the method most desired by the Church, the Missal.” At Loyola, he personally requested that students “have their Mass books so as to participate fully in the offering up of the sacrifice." (196)However, this more hands-off approach was frustrating to some, including Sister Himebaugh, OSB, of St Scholastica School. She criticized Reiner's liturgical teaching methods to Fr. Virgil Michel in a letter in which she noted: “…[I]t seems to me that merely teaching persons to use the Missal, without instructing them in the real meaning of the Sacrifice, is not getting very far along the road of the liturgy,” (Bielakowski, p. 196-197). Bielakoski in her dissertation offered this in relation to the comments, in which she has Fr Reiner saying: "As with student leadership in general, Reiner offered students the semblance of personal choice and initiative in matters of liturgy, trusting habit and peer pressure to imperceptibly provoke their intellectual curiosity and guide their ideological formation." (pp 196-197) (Bold by author) While Fr. .Reiner may not have indulged Sr Himebaugh to her liking in changing his method of teaching regarding the liturgy, (Bielakowski notes that people often referred to Fr Reiner as unwilling to change a decision, this may be part of the reason for that observation, or German stereotype of stubbornness) Fr. Harnett, SJ a student at Loyola in the mid-twenties, noted in his 1965 address at Loyola on Fr Reiner noted that "he (Reiner) himself made all the arrangements for our weekly student Mass at St. Ignatius Church and personally supervised it." I believe Fr. Reiner came mainly from a collegiate background and and he maintained consistency in teaching methods. (I wonder if Fr Reiner knew the difficulty of winning an argument with a nun.) In my mind, Fr Reiner's thinking was based on the concept to provide the means for students to increase their knowledge, from which would flow involvement. This whole idea fits with the following observation of Fr. Hartnett, SJ where he said: Reiner was "a great believer in democracy and self-determination, he was a full-fledged exponent of student self-government. Without being naive, doctrinaire of what might be called 'populistic' about it, as Dean he was wholly committed to developing processes of democratic participation among students." As examples Hartnett notes that Fr. Reiner suggested the use of parliamentary procedures for student activities, and also had compulsory student assemblies. We see a clear method pedagogical method through encouragement and participation. Although Hartnett also noted he could be rather "wooden" about enforcing attendance standards. This demand of attendance at class makes sense to me, one who missed only one class in college (due to illness). You attend class to learn, engage in discussion, and then discern for yourself. Knowledge is more readily gained at lecture, and discussion than not attending the class and solely depend on a text book. Going to class would instill a good habit.
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| Xavier College Course Description 1919 Source:Xavier University |
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| Prayer Card of Fr. Joseph Reiner, SJ front and back Source: Family archives |
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| The Loyolan 1926, Fr Reiner is lower left Source: Loyola University |
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| Heading , and part of first paragraph of Address to 1920 Catholic Charities Source: Catholic University of America |
In Chicago he initially promoted his views in less dramatic ways, perhaps due to the existence of entrenched leadership and lack of a fully-formed organizational plan. Father Siedenburg already had founded and now presided over Loyola’s School of Sociology; likewise, James Mertz, S.J., was moderator of Loyola’s Sodality. Until the 1926-27 school term Reiner reportedly confined his student interactions to a course in religion (“and did he make that class work!” one student later enthused); and to coaching Loyola’s debating team, to whom he reportedly stressed the importance of social issues."Regardless of what subject he taught, it seems that Fr Reiner made his views known. He was a man, as we would say today, in his element.
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| Poem about Fr Reiner's Grin 15 Feb 1921 "Xaverian" |
If he was a man comfortable at Xavier, and in his "element," I find myself asking why the move to Marquette University from a program, and community, in which he was so invested? Reiner belonged to a variety of committees and organizations during his time at Xavier, some dominated by Protestants. To these committees he would bring his passion of social justice and Catholic social teaching. Bilakowsdi noted that "Reiner reveled in organization and did not hesitate to support even non-Catholic efforts for social welfare." (p. 99) But, the following statement of Fr. Hartnett, who was a student at Loyola when Reiner was Dean, believes, "that these reformist interventions had more than a little to do with Fr Reiner's removal to the more progressive climate of Wisconsin in 1921, though I never heard this from him. He was too good a soldier to complain." Those with knowledge of Wisconsin history may well appreciate Hartnett's supposition, as Wisconsin was the leader in the progressive movement (which lasted from 1895 to 1925) started by Robert LaFollette, Governor of Wisconsin from 1901-1906. So, perhaps criticism was leveled and the Jesuits realizing what a good warrior they had moved him to a geography more acceptable to his message.
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| The Loyolan, 1930, Photo of Fr Reiner, SJ |
This post has focused on my great uncle, the Rev. Joseph Reiner, SJ (1981-1934) in his finding social justice in the reign of Christ, and his pedagogical method to trust the individual to learn and form their own conscience. His year of death, 1934 is almost a generation closer to the Civil War era than to 2020, in other words it was a different culture. Fr. Reiner correctly recognized that longer term gains arise from a person being taught how to inform themselves. He taught students at school, and laymen through retreat, how to inquire, to gather information, and to act. But he did not leave education as the completion of his message. A future post on Fr. Reiner will feature more information on what I call his Action element. Fr. Reiner was not one to let knowledge sit on the sideline, in his mind it had to be put in action. For action was what could produce results to better the living conditions of his fellow men and women.
*Joseph Reiner Sweeney, my Uncle, says that Joseph S. Reiner convinced his mother to change the name from Eireiner to Reiner. If we can rely on census records, the change occurred between 1910 and 1920.
**My understanding, from Fortman's biography is that this work was also published in pamphlet form by Our Sunday Visitor. I have located the probable pamphlet online at both the Univ. of California and Boston College. This document is authored by S. Shell. So, I am not sure what he contributed since there is no credit to Joseph Reiner provided in the online document. Was S Shell a pseudonym? In 1903 Reiner had not yet been ordained. You may find the link to the online pamphlet I located here.
Sources:
Bielakowski, Rae, "You Are in the World: Catholic Campus Life at Loyola University Chicago, Mundelein College, and De Paul University, 1924-1950" (2009). Dissertations. 161. Quoted page numbers are page numbers in the document not pdf image number. (Note, a ctrl f search of Reiner provided 163 hits.)
Xavier College Course Catalogs, located on-line
Menology Of Sr. Mary (born Eireiner) Basil (Dec. 1934) from IHM Mother House Archives
Fortman, Edmund, SJ 1989 "Lineage: A Biographical History of the Chicago Province, Chicago, Loyola University Press pp 49-51. Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney
"Bishop Speaks and Presents new Moderator to CISCANS". Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney, no date or paper provided on clipping (no date on clipping)
"Fr Joseph Reiner: A Great Sodality Leader." "The Queens Work". Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney (no date on clipping)
https://247sports.com/college/ohio-state/Board/121/Contents/ND-wanted-to-join-the-Big-Ten-at-one-point-must-read-36555843/ Accessed 2/25/2020
Harnett, RC, SJ April 14, 1965 lecture at Loyola University Community Conference on "Rev Joseph Reiner, SJ, 1881-1934 Dean of College of Arts and Sciences Loyola University 1923-1931". Family archive from Joseph R Sweeney
"Proceedings of the Sixth Biennial Meeting of National Conference of Catholic Charities" Catholic University of America, Washington DC, Sept 12-16, 1920. "A Program for Social Legislation" by Rev. Joseph Reiner, SJ. Regent, School of Commerce and Sociology St Xavier College, Cincinnati, OH. (Provided by Catholic University of America Archives, on 13 Feb 2020).
Chicago City Directory, for years 1875, 1885, 1889
https://www.thebalance.com/roaring-twenties-4060511 (accessed 9/26/2020)
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